brought their considerable talents to the effort, designing strange painted patterns that, when applied to merchant and navy ships in particular, helped thwart the devastation caused by German U-boats.

Two decades later during the next global conflict, deception techniques evolved into highly sophisticated undertakings that included fake towns and inflatable tanks, airplanes, landing craft and yes, soldiers. Many of these specially designed inflatables were engineered by America's rubber companies as part of their contribution to the war effort.